Does the UL philosophy produce materialistic backpackers?

[EndoftheTrail]

True minimalists who embrace UL philosophy will come out as true UL minimalists.

True materialists who embrace UL philosophy will come out true UL materialists! These are the ones who carry qualifying base weights of 12lbs or less. But for every gear piece they carry (a wp/b jacket for example) — they have 5 or 8 more similar pieces sitting in their gear closets — either purchased for the "fantastic" deal — or purchased because each one is ever so slightly different that the user can "dial it in just right".

IMO, the philosophy itself doesn't produce any materialism that isn't already there — although the new hobby itself might produce the excuse for yet another gear binge.

[Nick Gatel]

I look at UL backpacking as technique/skill; not philosophy.

Just a matter of using the most appropriate tools for the job.

Gear and equipment are only the means to specific end… usually a great wilderness experience. Which is why we talk about it so much. Impossible to hike for several days without some sort of gear, excluding survival situations, or trying to live 100% off the wilderness, which in many wilderness areas is environmentally unethical (IMO) or illegal.

Would you try to overhaul an engine with a Swiss Army knife or a complete tool set? Would you roll out your master mechanic tool set to change a light bulb or just grab a screw driver?

So if you purchase an assortment of tools (gear and equipment) to match certain kinds of hikes, it is just an efficiency purchase in my eyes. If you buy lots of gear to enhance your status or just to have it without a specific use or solution to a problem, then maybe that would be considered materialistic.

[M B]

Does the UL philosophy produce materialistic backpackers?

I would say no, it does not.

A materialistic person is one who believes that possessions are what is important in life. Possibly, this can be extended to defining their own self-worth or status by what they own.

Simply owning a lot of things, even expensive items, does not make someone materialistic. They might have that in common with a materialistic person, but that is not the same thing. The reasons are different.

What is important to the UL backpacker, is to achieve the freedom that comes from carrying as little weight as possible. Most of that is achieved by simply leaving things behind and simplifying their gear.

Quite to the contrary, Id say that UL backpackers across the board seem to be quite humble, helpful, charitable, and respectful of everyone else and their gear choices.

[Aaron]

Martin,

I'm not saying that UL backpackers aren't any of those good things you listed, but as I understand it, the definition of materialistic is… a preoccupation with or stress upon material rather than intellectual or spiritual things.

If you can take a look at this forum and say this isn't the case (gear, gear swap, gear lists, gear gear gear), then we're operating on different definitions.

Owning a lot of things generally means you're pretty preoccupied with material goods, whether it is backpacking gear or trinkets. My question is this: is the drive to be prepared for every situation with select sets of gear making us materialistic? If we're constantly buying gear, talking about gear, drooling over new gear to an extreme, aren't we preoccupied with the material rather than what the gear allows us to do?

All gear lists and no trips makes Jack a dull boy.

[Neil McGee]

"My question is this: is the drive to be prepared for every situation with select sets of gear making us materialistic? If we're constantly buying gear, talking about gear, drooling over new gear to an extreme, aren't we preoccupied with the material rather than what the gear allows us to do?"

These questions themselves beg agreement, and I do agree there is materialism here (and, of course, room for excess). But as others have intimated, not necessarily more so than other hobbies or leisurely pursuits. We sometimes forget, we're living in the most advanced economic, technological, political, and social period of human history, even if simultaneously it is also the most complicated and brutal. It's taken a very long time for us to get to this point, to actually have the leisure time to "get out there" in the first place. There was a time not too long ago when "getting out there" was a necessity, a part of life, and not a leisurely pursuit. We're pretty fortunate to be living in this day and age, to be preoccupied and/or troubled with material, intellectual, or spiritual things in the first place.

My hope, confirmed already by some here, is that we're using the opportunity we have to be preoccupied with such things in the first place (be it with gear or other intellectual/spiritual pursuits) to reach farther, learn more, and "go lighter" in ways that are not merely for escapist, self-serving, or mindless consumeristic purposes.

[Nick Gatel]

"Owning a lot of things generally means you're pretty preoccupied with material goods, whether it is backpacking gear or trinkets. My question is this: is the drive to be prepared for every situation with select sets of gear making us materialistic?"

I disagree. Here is a similar example. When I was a mechanic I got paid by the amount of work I did. That is, I got a percentage of the labor billed and did not get paid if any work was poorly done resulting in a repeat repair. The sooner I finished a job, the sooner I could pull the next one, which on slow days worked to my advantage as I got more work assigned to me than anyone else. To maximize my income (and lower the amount of time to do it) I had more tools than anyone in the shop. I even owned equipment the shop provided, so I would not have to wait for access if someone was using it. I also bought very expensive tools, because a warranty on a cheap tool did me no good if it broke while repairing something. In 20+ years in several shops no one ever made more money than me.

As a flip side, my tool boxes were quality, but older and smaller than anyone else. My drawers were filled to capacity. Some of the other mechanics owned huge tool boxes with such items as built-in stereo systems. And the drawers were sparsely filled. Not essential to the task. Those might be considered materialistic, because to them it was a status symbol driven by some sort of ego.

I think the same goes for backpacking. Means to an end for most of us.

This is my basic socket drawer. I have specialize sockets in other drawers. Most people would say all of them are not needed, but when speed and efficiency were needed daily they generated a lot of income.

[Greg F]

I disagree with the premise that UL encourages materialism. Gear discussion and aquisition here is really no different than on other regular weight backpacking sites.

The nature of people on a gear review and gear exchange forum is to discuss and exchange gear ergo you get alot of gear discussion.

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